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7 Best Low-Carb Keto Fruit (And Some Recipe Tips)

May 02, 2018

Why Can't I Eat Fruit?

You shouldn't eat most fruit when on a ketogenic diet because most fruit is high in net carbs. Net carbs are total carbs in food minus fiber. You'll often see keto dieters referring to net carbs rather than total carbs because, unlike fiber, they increase blood sugar levels. Having too many net carbs in your diet can affect your daily macros intake.

Although fruit is not as high in carbs as, say, wheat and tubers, it can add up to your 30 grams net carbs per day limit. Take for example two unassuming fruits you see in almost every household: bananas and apples. One medium banana provides a whopping 24 grams of net carbs while one medium apple just around 20 grams of net carbs. Eat one or the other and you have little room left for other carbs.

Just in case you don't know why the keto diet limits net carbs to 30 grams per day:

Science says that 30 grams of net carbs per day is the upper limit for most people trying to reach ketosis [1]. Going above that gives your body enough carbs for it to run on glucose. You don't want that. Instead, you want your body to run on ketones which it can only do when carbohydrate intake is extremely low.

Fruit, including keto fruit, contains carbs mainly in the form of fructose and glucose. Both are simple carbohydrate and together they make up sucrose (table sugar). On the positive note, some fruit contains plenty of fiber, which is an indigestible type of carbohydrate. Fiber helps lower blood sugar levels and is essential for healthy bowel movements. That’s why you need plenty of fiber in your keto diet.

Additional note: To learn more about the ketogenic diet, take our Ketocademy course. It's free, and you'll learn everything in 3 hours straight. We also suggest reading our articles about the ketogenic diet here and here.

7 Best Low-Carb Keto Fruit

As a rule of thumb, keto dieters are allowed to eat berries because these tend to be low in carbs. However, there are many other non-berry keto fruits worth noting as well. Here, we give you 7 keto fruit examples (berries included) that you should definitely add to your keto meals:

1. Strawberries

Net carbs: 5,7 grams

Strawberries are one of the lowest-carb berries you can get. Their low-carb content also means they're low in energy, with 100 grams providing only 30 calories. These keto fruits are also an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. Buy them fresh in summer or go for frozen strawberries to have them on hand all throughout the year.

As for strawberry health benefits, these berries are rich in phytochemicals like ellagic acid, anthocyanins, quercetin, and catechin which are non-nutritive compounds found to improve health. Studies on these phytochemicals show that they upregulate nitric oxide production and downregulation inflammation [2] – both of which protect against cardiovascular disease.

Recipe ideas:

Make this satisfying and sweet strawberry cottage cheese smoothie early in the morning for a convenient lunch option. This recipe gives you 400 calories and takes only 5 minutes to make. You can also eat strawberries with cream sweetened with stevia.

2. Rhubarb

Net carbs: 2.7 grams

Rhubarb may be a leafy vegetable objectively speaking, but it is sweet and sour just like a fruit. Most people use rhubarb in dessert making, so it makes sense to add it to our low-carb keto fruit list.

Besides being low in carbs, rhubarb is high in vitamins C and K and the minerals potassium, calcium, and manganese. This unusual keto fruit/vegetable is a powerful herbal medicine according to one systematic review [3]. The review claims that rhubarb is a viable sepsis treatment due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-boosting action.

You will find fresh rhubarb being sold in supermarkets from spring through summer. You may also find frozen rhubarb which is just as good. Just thaw it in the microwave, on room temperature, or add cold to desserts.

Recipe idea:

Rhubarb pairs perfectly with strawberries in dessert recipes. Use it to make strawberry-rhubarb mousse or make a sugar-free jam to go over keto puddings, panna cotta, or cheesecake. Rhubarb can also replace berries in pancakes and muffins.

3. Starfruit

Net carbs: 4 grams

Starfruit, also called carambola, is a slightly sweet, slightly tart and sour keto fruit. It is native to Indonesia, and you'll often find it in the exotic fruits section of the produce department in your local supermarket.

However, star fruit is high in oxalates, which are compounds that can cause kidney stones when taken in excess. This is one reason why doctors discourage those with kidney diseases from eating starfruit [4]. If you have healthy, functioning kidneys, you may also want to keep your intake moderate because starfruit is also similar to grapefruit causing drug interactions, i.e. it inhibits the absorption of certain drugs.

Recipe idea:

The mild sweetness of starfruit means it goes well in both sweet and savory dishes. Substitute it for pineapple in curry sauces or add it to smoothies. You can also make decorative starfruit upside-down cake (with almond flour, of course).

4. Raspberries

Net carbs: 5.4 grams

Raspberries are a low in net-carb but high in fiber. You should definitely add to your weekly keto menu. They're an excellent source of vitamin C and they also provide a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

Studies on raspberries show that these berries contain an antioxidant which they named raspberry ketone. Raspberry ketone is not the same thing as the ketones your body makes in the absence of glucose. But according to some animal studies, they seem to have a fat-burning effect just like your body's ketones [5].

Recipe idea:

Make these raspberry muffins to feed the whole family. This recipe yields 7 muffins, one servinging providing only 142 calories. The recipe calls for coconut flour and butter to make it fully keto. It's sweetened with stevia, but raspberries also give it additional sweetens.

5. Avocado

Net carbs: 1.8 grams

The green hue and lack of sweetness may make you see avocado as a vegetable. But it is technically a fruit and a berry for that matter! Make avocados a staple on your keto diet because they're possibly the fattiest keto fruit you can eat.

Avocado is a keto favorite because of its fat content. You get over 14 grams of fat from 100 grams of avocado along with fiber, vitamins C, E, folate, potassium, and copper. Avocado contains mostly monounsaturated fats which are best for your blood vessel health.

Recipe ideas:

Avocados work well in both sweet and savory dishes. They're dense and creamy which makes them a great banana substitute in smoothies. Try out these chicken skewers for 4 with avocado ketchup for an easy and quick dinner.

6. Casaba melons

Net carbs: 5.7 grams

While honeydew and watermelon are both high in carbs, the casaba melon is a different story. You can safely eat a half a cup of casaba and won't get anywhere near your daily carb limit. But you will boost your intake of vitamin C and B6.

Casaba is not as sweet as other melons, but it does have a long shelf life. Its flesh is juicy, and the flavor is often compared to that of cucumber. To eat it, simply cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and remove its rind.

Recipe ideas:

Make a refreshing yogurt smoothie by mixing in casaba melon along with some stevia. You can also make a keto fruit salad with casaba melon and some berries. It also goes well with savory dishes like mint salsa.

7. Blackberries

Net carbs: 4.9 grams

Like raspberries, blackberries are also rich in fiber. In fact, half of all carbs in blackberries are fiber. They're also a good source of vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and copper. Their dark hue is a good indicator that they contain powerful antioxidants like blueberries.

Studies on blackberries and other dark berries show that they protect brain health [6]. Eating blackberries can also help with excess weight and diabetes according to some studies [7]. You can find fresh blackberries throughout summer, but frozen berries are way cheaper.

Recipe ideas:

Blackberries go fantastically with coconut. Make a satiating shake with coconut milk, blackberries, cream cheese, and stevia. You may also make tasty fat bombs using coconut butter, coconut oil, and blackberries.

What Can I Eat Instead of Keto Fruit?

Vegetables are a much better source of essential vitamins and minerals on a keto diet because they tend to be lower in carbohydrates. However, carb content varies greatly among vegetables; those growing underground tend to be higher in carbs than those growing above ground.

To boost your micronutrient intake, consider these low-carb veggies:

Celery

Kale

Spinach

Cucumbers

Mushrooms

Cauliflower

Zucchini

Another great plant source of key micronutrients is nuts and seeds. Both are rich in vitamins and minerals while also being high in fat. The only exception to this rule is cashews and chestnuts which contain too many carbs to be keto approved.

Take-Home Message

Although fruit contains essential nutrients, it can be problematic on a keto diet because most is high in carbohydrates. Carbs are what give fruit its sweet taste, and the sweeter the fruit, the more carb it contains. For this reason, choose your keto fruit wisely and keep your intake low to stay within your daily macros.

To help you stay within your daily carb limit, we've listed 7 keto fruits that are lowest in sugar but rich in beneficial nutrients. These keto fruits will also give you plenty of fiber along with key vitamins and minerals. Some are even scientifically-proven to improve health.

If you want to play it safe, however, your best option is to stick to vegetables, nuts, and seeds and keep your keto fruit intake as low as possible. These plant foods contain plenty of micronutrients but without the carbs. They also go well with a wide range of savory keto dishes and keep your digestion running and blood sugar low thanks to fiber content.

If you want to learn more about keto nutrition, including what you can and cannot eat, visit our FAQs section or take our free learning course called the Ketocademy.

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†Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Product results may vary from person to person.